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White Sox, Cubs Minor Leaguers get 50-game bans

Righty Blount, shortstop Soto to begin serving suspensions at start of next season

White Sox Minor League pitcher Nicholas Blount and Cubs Minor League shortstop Elliot Soto have each received a 50-game suspension for violations of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment program.

Blount, a right-hander, tested positive for an Amphetamine. He is currently on the roster of rookie-level Great Falls in the Pioneer League and went 4-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 16 games (nine starts) this past season.

Soto was suspended after a second violation of a drug of abuse. He is currently on the Class A Daytona roster and hit .219 through 84 games between Daytona and Double-A Tennessee in 2013.

Both players' suspensions will be effective at the start of next season.

Joey Nowak is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @joeynowak.
Read More: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox